Definition Failure of bone marrow to produce peripheral blood cells and its progenitors Etiology The following illustration gives a brief idea about the etiological factors of aplastic anemia Now going into each etiological factor: – Autoimmune diseases: – Either they affect all the lineages (autoimmune aplastic anemia) or a single…
Author: Epomedicine
Emergency Medicine 
Log Rolling Maneuver : Steps
Step 1: Rescuer 1 stabilizes head and neck in neutral position without applying traction. He/she should grasp the patient’s shoulders at the neck and gently position the patient’s head betweeen the forearms. Another rescuer should apply a semirigid extrication collar. Even with the collar in place, Rescuer 1 must maintain…
PGMEE, MRCS, USMLE, MBBS, MD/MS 
Hepatorenal syndrome (HRS) – Quick revision
New Criteria for HRS 1. Cirrhosis with ascites 2. Serum creatinine >1.5mg/dl 3. No sustained improvement in renal function after 2 days of diuretic withdrawl (if on diuretics) and volume expansion with albumin infusion at 1 gm/kg/day upto a maximum of 100 gm/day. 4. No evidence of shock 5. No…
Emergency Medicine 
Open fractures : Mnemonics
Gustilo Anderson Classification Mnemonics:1. Parameters: ABCD’S (Area, Bone, Circulation, Dirt, Soft tissue)2. Classification: I, II, III then A, B, C Progression for grade I to III C implies a higher degree of energy involved in the injury, higher soft tissue and bone damage, and higher potential for complications. Type I:…
PGMEE, MRCS, USMLE, MBBS, MD/MS 
Guillain Barre Syndrome (GBS) – Mnemonic
ASBURY CRITERIA FOR GUILLAIN BARRE SYNDROME (GBS) Required Criteria Mnemonic: AIDP 1. Areflexia 2. Include in differential and rule out other causes 3. Duration < 4 weeks 4. Progressive weakness of 2 or more limbs due to neuropathy Supportive criteria Mnemonic: AIDPS 1. Afebrile 2. Involvement: Mild sensory involvement Facial…
Emergency Medicine 
Severe Malaria : Quick revision
Criteria for Severe and Complicated Malaria Positive peripheral blood smear for P.falciparum + ≥1 of the CHAPLINS (Mnemonic) Convulsions: >2 in 24 hour Cerebral edema (Consciousness impaired) Hypoglycemia (glucose <40 mg/dl) Hemorrhage (DIC) Hemoglobinuria (Black water fever) Anemia (hemoglobin <5 gm/dl or PCV <15% in children; hemoglobin <7 gm/dl or…
PGMEE, MRCS, USMLE, MBBS, MD/MS 
Antigenic Shift and Drift
Antigenic Drift Nature of antigenic variation: Minor Mechanism: Gradual accumulation of amino acid substitutions due to point mutation in the hemagglutinin (H) and neuraminidase (N) genes. As mutations accumulate, antibodies generated by exposure to previous strains do not neutralize current strains to the same extent, resulting in only limited or…
PGMEE, MRCS, USMLE, MBBS, MD/MS 
Bedside Cold Agglutinin Test for Mycoplasma
Definition of Cold Agglutinin Cold agglutinins are polyclonal IgM that have specificity against the I-antigen on red cells, and often there is light chain restriction, with kappa being predominant. The infections associated with cold agglutinins are: Mycoplasma pneumoniae Epstein Barr virus Cytomegalovirus HIV Rubella Steps for Bedside Cold Agglutinin Test…